How Competency-Based Education Paved the Way for College

How Competency-Based Education Paved the Way for College
by Briana Medina My senior year of high school was a big year for me: leadership roles in clubs, AP classes, two internships, and a spring musical. But despite those things, only one stressor truly haunted my mind: where I would go to school the following year. I attended Kettle Moraine School for Arts and Performance (KM Perform) for high school, a competency-based learning environment in Wale...
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Holman Pirate Academy: Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Pirate Academy: Do. Reflect. Do Better.
by Dr. Sarah Moran and Maegan Bowersox Holman Pirate Academy is housed at Holman Middle School in the Pattonville School District, and is proudly located in suburban St. Ann, MO. Holman is a diverse community: of approximately 640 students, 38% are African American; 37% White; 10% Hispanic; 10% Multi-Racial; and 5% Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander. Our students speak a variety of la...
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Kaneland School District: Our Road to Personalized Learning

picture of a map
by Sarah Mumm, Patrick Raleigh and Laura Garland, Kaneland School District Like most travel adventures, Kaneland CUSD #302’s road to implementing personalized learning has included stretches of open road, dangerous curves, forks in the road, and even some unexpected lane closures. Through it all, we have kept our GPS locked in on our final destination; a district where students are not just alo...
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The Shift: Competency-Based Learning

figure walking up stairs
by Odetta Smith, Pattonville School District For the Pattonville School District, August 17th and 18th, 2021 came so much faster than we anticipated. The two very full days of our professional development centered around moving instruction with learner progressions. Teachers gathered with other teachers in the district and engaged in conversations around rigor, assessment, and progressions. We ...
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What’s the Point: Grades or Learning?

What's the Point Grades or Learning image
by Jim Rickabaugh As parents and educators we can find ourselves urging learners to work hard so they get good grades. On the surface, this may seem like reasonable advice. We want students to be successful and grades are intended to be at least one indicator of success. However, with some reflection, we can see that such advice may actually be undermining the very thing grades are intended to ...
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